Three dimensional game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game apparatus comprising, in combination, an upright hollow column resembling an elevator shaft having indicia therealong representing a plurality of floors along the elevator shaft. There is a slot in the column at each floor. A plurality of playing pieces are positionable into said upright column, through the slots, each playing piece having indicia thereon correlated to at least one of said floors. A plunger is vertically movably mounted on said upright column and has a simulated elevator thereon for alignment with said floors. A plurality of instruction cards direct movement of the simulated elevator within the column. Transparent strips set in the column permit viewing of the position of the simulated elevator.

United States Patent [1 1 Breslow et al.

THREE DIMENSIONAL GAME APPARATUS Inventors: Jeffrey D. Breslow, Highland Park;

Kathy A. Dunn, Chicago, both of ill.

Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates,

Chicago, 111.

Filed: Feb. 1, 1973 Appl. No.: 328,874

US. Cl 273/135 R, 273/136 E Int. Cl. A631 3/00 Field of Search 273/135 R, 135 B, 135 D,

273/1 R, 134 AB, 136 E References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS was are Dec. 24, 1974 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,141 l/1894 Great Britain 273/136 F.

Primary ExaminerPaul E. Shapiro Attorney, Agent, or FirmCoffee & Sweeney [57] ABSTRACT A game apparatus comprising, in combination, an upright hollow column resembling an elevator shaft having indicia therealong representing a plurality of floors along the elevator shaft. There is a slot in the column at each floor. A plurality of playing pieces are positionable into said upright column, through the slots, each playing piece having indicia thereon correlated to at least one of said floors. A plunger is vertically movably mounted on said upright column and has a simulated elevator thereon for alignment with said floors. A plurality of instruction cards direct movement of the simulated elevator within the column. Transparent strips set in the column permit viewing of the position of the simulated elevator.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures area easy 5 THREE DIIVIENSIONAL GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a new and improved game apparatus of the type which utilizes a plurality of playing pieces, a support structure on which the playing pieces are played, and a set of instructional cards for determining the play of the game.

Many games are known in which a game board is provided with a plurality of playing positions along which playing pieces are moved by players of the game. Either a chance device or instructional cards are employed for determining the play of the game, i.e., the movement or positioning of the playing pieces on the game board. Such game combinations provide entertainment for children and adults alike, while, in some instances, being educational in nature. Consequently, there is a continuing need for new and improved game apparatus of the character described. The present invention is directed to satisfying that need by providing a new and improved game which, rather than employing the ordinary flat game board, is provided with a threedimensional upright support structure having a plurality of playing piece receptacles for receiving playing pieces in accordance with predetermined rules of play.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the support structure is in the form of a generally upright, substantially hollow, column which resembles an elevator shaft or the like. lndicia is provided on the column representing a plurality of floors along the elevator shaft. The indicia includes both numerical and subject matter indicia whereby each floor is numbered in the usual fashion, along with the subject matter indicia representing different types of goods" which might be handled on each floor, such as in a department store or the like. The column is square in cross section providing four sides with the aforesaid indicia on all four sides. Each side of the column has a slot at each floor for receiving playing pieces as they are played by the players of the game. The playing pieces have numerical and subject matter indicia complementary to the indicia on the elevator shaft whereby each playing piece is correlated to one of the slot-type receptacles. A set of instruction cards is provided for determining the play of the playing pieces into the slots along the elevator shaft, for instance in an attempt by players of the game to rid themselves of all of their playing pieces.

In the preferred embodiment, a manually manipulatable plunger means is vertically reciprocally movable within the elevator shaft. the plunger means having a simulated elevator portion thereon movable therewith within the shaft. The elevator shaft itself has vertically extending transparent portions permitting visual observation of the elevator within the column. Detent means is provided for holding the plunger with its simulated elevator portion at any one of the floors along the elevator shaft.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the upright support structure which forms the simulated elevator shaft of the game apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section, partially broken away, of the simulated elevator shaft taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view of two of the playing pieces for the game of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a view of two of the instructional cards of the game of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The game apparatus of the present invention includes, in combination, a generally upright support structure, generally designated 10 (FIGS. 1 through 3), a plurality of playing pieces or cards, generally designated 12 (FIG. 4), and a plurality of instructional cards, generally designated 14 (FIG. 5).

The upright support structure 10 is generally square shaped in cross-section and is in the form of a column which is provided for simulating an elevator shaft. The lower end of the column is positioned between ribs 15 on top of a generally flat support base 16. The upper end of the column is positioned between ribs 17 (FIG. 2) on the underside of a generally flat top wall portion 18. lndicia means is provided along the elevator shaft for representing a plurality of floorspsuch as in a department store. More particularly, numerical indicia 20a is provided for numbering the floors consecutively in the usual fashion. In addition, subject matter indicia is provided for each numbered floor, representing different types of goods which might be handled on each floor of the store.

The subject matter indicia includes pictorial-type indicia 20b along with word descriptive indicia 200 which generally describes the pictorial indicia 20b. For instance, as seen in FIG. 1, the first floor has a pictorial indicia of ice cream with the words ice cream" for that floor. The seventh floor has the word swings along with a picture of a swing set for representing the goods handled on that floor. The 14th floor handles trains and, thus. has the word *trains thereat along with a picture of a locomotive, and so on along each of the floors as shown in FIG. I. The upright support structure or elevator shaft 10 has the numerical, descriptive word, and pictorial indicia 20a-20c on each side thereof for each floor to accommodate four players of the game.

In addition to the indicia at each floor along the elevator shaft 10, a slot 22 is provided at each floor on each of the four sides of the shaft. The slots 22 form receptacle-type playing positions for receiving the playing pieces or cards 12 in accordance with predetermined rules of play for the game. As seen best in FIG. 4. the playing pieces are trapezoidal in shape so as to be tapered to facilitate insertion into the slots 22, with the playing cards 12 protruding outwardly from the elevator shaft.

Each of the playing cards 12 has complementary indicia correlated to one of the floors along the elevator shaft. More particularly. as seen in FIG. 4, each card has numerical indicia 24a, pictorial indicia 24b, and descriptive word indicia 24c, correlated to the indicia 20a, 20b and 20c, respectively, for one of the floors along the elevator shaft. The lefthand playing card 12 as seen in FIG. 4 thus is playable only in one of the slots 22 on the eighth floor of the elevator shaft, the eighth floor being the sports floor. The righthand playing card shown in FIG. 4 is playable only in one of the slots 22 of the 16th or records floor along the elevator shaft.

A set of the instruction cards 14 (FIG. 5) is provided with instructional indicia 26 for determining the play of the playing cards, i.e., the positioning of the cards in the slots 22 along the elevator shaft 10. More particularly, referring to the lefthand instruction card in FIG. 5, the instructional indicia thereon states: stop at 8. In other words, if a player of the game draws the lefthand card shown in FIG. 5, and he also is in possession of a playing card 12 which is playable at the eighth floor of the elevator shaft (i.e., the lefthand playing card shown in FIG. 4), that player may insert his playing piece into the slot 22 at the eighth floor, in an attempt to rid himself of the playing pieces which he possesses.

To play the game, one or more of the playing cards 12 are dealt to the players of the game each of whom positions himself in front of one of the sides of the elevator shaft 10. A designated player then begins by drawing one of the instructional cards, for instance from a stack thereof facing downwardly to prevent observation of the instructional indicia 26 thereon. The instructional indicia for the drawn card in most instances will state that the elevator is to stop at one or more of the floors along the elevator shaft. If the particular drawing player has a playing card 12 in his possession, or hand, correlated to the floor or floors designated by indicia on the drawn instructional card, that player may rid himself of the playing card by positioning it in the appropriate slot 22 on his side of the elevator shaft. The first player to rid himself of all of his playing cards 12 is the winner of the game.

As seen in FIG. 1, the lower floor of the elevator shaft is designated the lobby by indicia 28. Preferably, one of the instructional cards 14 has indicia thereon which, in effect, instructs the elevator to proceed to the lobby. In that instance, a designated player or players is required to draw another playing card 12, as a sort of penalty.

An alternate method of playing the game is facilitated by providing a simulated elevator connected to plunger means vertically reciprocally movable within the elevator shaft. More particularly, a plunger means in the form of an elongated rod 30 extends through an aperture 32 in the top wall 18 of the elevator shaft 10. A knob-like handle 34 is provided on the outer end of the rod 30 for manually grasping by a player of the game to move the rod 30. Simulated elevator means, generally designated 36, is formed on the lower end of the rod 30 for movement therewith longitudinally within the elevator shaft. The elevator means includes four radially protruding braces 38 which extend outwardly from the rod 30, with plate-like portions 40 on the outer ends of the braces 38. The elevator shaft has transparent strips 42 extending vertically thereof on each side of the elevator shaft to permit visual observation therethrough of the plates 40 mounted by the braces 38 on the bottom of the rod 30. Each plate 40 may have indicia 44 (FIG. 1), such as pictures of human faces, which is visible through the transparent strips 42. The elevator means 36 is held in position at any desired vertical level by means of a toothed rack portion 46 formed on one side thereof which is engageable by a leaf spring type detent 48 fixed by means of a boss 50 to the underside of the top wall 18 of the elevator shaft. Not only does the rack and detent means hold the elevator means 36 and the rod 30 in a prede termined position, but it provides sound effect means as the rod is moved vertically relative to the elevator shaft.

By utilizing simulated elevator means 36 along with the rod 32, one player of the game may be designated as the elevator operator each time another player draws one of the instructional cards 14 from the stack thereof. Preferably, the players would rotate in turn to operate the elevator the same as the players take turns drawing instructional cards 14 from the stack thereof. Each time an instructional card is drawn, the elevator operator for that particular turn is not permitted to play any of his playing cards 12 into the slots 22 during that turn nor is he obligated to acquire another playing card should the instructions on the instructional card for that turn direct the elevator to proceed to the lobby. For instance, should the righthand instruction card 14 as viewed in FIG. 5 be drawn, the elevator operator would selectively stop at four floors along the elevator shaft and each of the other players would be permitted to position the correlated playing cards 12 into the slots 22 at those particular floors, that is if the other players have the particular playing cards for those floors in their possession. Meanwhile the elevator operator is not permitted to play any of his cards during that turn.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising, in combination:

an upright column resembling an elevator shaft having a plurality of playing positions for receiving playing pieces;

a plurality of playing pieces positionable at said playing positions;

complimentary indicia means at said playing positions and on said playing pieces, whereby each playing piece is correlated to at least one of said playing positions; a set of instruction cards for determining the play of said playing pieces at said playing positions; and

plunger means vertically reciprocally movable within said column, said plunger means having simulated elevator means thereon and wherein said column has a portion adjacent the path of said simulated elevator means through which a player can visually observe the elevator means from the outside of said column.

2. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said playing pieces are in the form of card-like members and said playing positions are in the form of receptacles defined by slots for receiving the playing cards.

3. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said complementary indicia means includes indicia representing a plurality of floors along the elevator shaft.

4. The game apparatus of claim 3 wherein said floor representing indicia includes numerical-type indicia.

5. The game apparatus of claim 3 wherein said floor representing indicia includes subject matter indicia representing different types of goods.

6 6. The game apparatus of claim 3 wherein at least right column, each playing piece having indicia one of said instruction cards is a lobby card which thereon correlated to at least one of said floors; and can require a player to acquire one or more of said playing pieces. plunger means vertically movably mounted on said 7. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said com- 5 upright column, said plunger means having simuplementary indicia means includes indicia representing lated elevator means thereon for alignment with a plurlity of floors along the elevator shaft, and includsaid floors. ing means for holding said plunger and said simulated 9. The game apparatus of claim 8 including means for elevator means at one of said floors. holding said plunger and said simulated elevator means 8. A game apparatus comprising, in combination: 10 at one of said floors. an upright column resembling an elevator shaft hav- 10. The game apparatus of claim 8 including a set of ing means therealong representing a plurality of instruction cards for determining the play of said playfloors along the elevator shaft; ing pieces relative to said floors. a plurality of playing pieces positionable into said up- 

1. A game apparatus comprising, in combination: an upright column resembling an elevator shaft having a plurality of playing positions for receiving playing pieces; a plurality of playing pieces positionable at said playing positions; complimentary indicia means at said playing positions and on said playing pieces, whereby each playing piece is correlated to at least one of said playing positions; a set of instruction cards for determining the play of said playing pieces at said playing positions; and plunger means vertically reciprocally movable within said column, said plunger means having simulated elevator means thereon and wherein said column has a portion adjacent the path of said simulated elevator means through which a player can visually observe the elevator means from the outside of said column.
 2. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said playing pieces are in the form of card-like members and said playing positions are in the form of receptacles defined by slots for receiving the playing cards.
 3. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said complementary indicia means includes indicia representing a plurality of floors along the elevator shaft.
 4. The game apparatus of claim 3 wherein said floor representing indicia includes numerical-type indicia.
 5. The game apparatus of claim 3 wherein said floor representing indicia includes subject matter indicia representing different types of ''''goods.''''
 6. The game apparatus of claim 3 wherein at least one of said instruction cards is a ''''lobby'''' card which can require a player to acquire one or more of said playing pieces.
 7. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said complementary indicia means includes indicia representing a plurlity of floors along the elevator shaft, and including means for holding said plunger and said simulated elevator means at one of said floors.
 8. A game apparatus comprising, in combination: an upright column resembling an elevator shaft having means therealong representing a plurality of floors along the elevator shaft; a plurality of playing pieces positionable into said upright column, each playing piece having indicia thereon correlated to at least one of said floors; and plunger means vertically movably mounted on said upright column, said plunger means having simulated elevator means thereon for alignment with said floors.
 9. The game apparatus of claim 8 including means for holding said plunger and said simulated elevator means at one of said floors.
 10. The game apparatus of claim 8 including a set of instruction cards for determining the play of said playing pieces relative to said floors. 